Dry charred hops invade burnt barley setting as varying mocha bitterness, chocolate malt roast, and licorice-tea-cola hints sufficiently counterbalance solid-bodied dark pilsner. But tinny mouthfeel and anti-climactic muted grain finish soften resolve and foil initial thrust.
Monthly Archives: January 2009
(KULMBACHER) MONCHSHOF KLOSTER SCHWARZBIER
Soothingly creamed barley-roasted Bavarian dark lager finds relaxing middle ground between musty molded breading and sugary brown chocolate spicing. Sharp hop bittering contrasts ancillary vanilla, cocoa and walnut illusions, mellowing syrupy caramel malt backdrop.
(KULMBACHER) MONCHSHOF KELLERBRAU LAGER
Matured in open underground vats, unfiltered ‘keller’ beer styling uses only four basic ingredients (water-hops-barley-yeast). But turbid copper German suffers from crumbling spice-hopped butterscotch overlay and musty yeast bed. Clover honeyed caramel malts sour at midst, debunking dried tobacco whim and spiced apple tinge.
KULMBACHER KAPUZINER WEISSE
Mild Bavarian wheat with less fizz than most German brews is easy to plow, but indistinct. Expectant citric-teased banana-clove-bubblegum illusions get washed-out by insufficient caramel malting and slight metallic tinge. More like a pilsner with mere dusting of wheat.
KULMBACHER KAPUZINER SCHWARZ-WEIZEN
Oddball Bavarian-styled black (a.k.a. dark) wheat ale benefits from peculiar chocolate-covered banana opening and hop-roasted smoked malt buttress, but suffers a bit from harsh nutty astringency. Creamy milk chocolate-y center makes up ground, but leathery tobacco quilt smothers preferred vanilla sweetness and powdered cocoa souring.
KULMBACHER KAPUZINER BAVARIAN HEFE-WEIZEN
Floral yeast effervescence and malted wheat contour enhance doughy nature of light-bodied cotton-candied unfiltered Bavarian. Lemony hop spritz, clove spicing, and popcorn-buttered astringency fortify frothy finish, increasing its pliant dynamic range.
KULMBACHER EISBOCK
Intoxicatingly complex ruby chestnut cascade-headed ‘ice’ bock perfect as creamy dessert. Chewy molasses malting, prickly hop spicing, burnt-sugared raisin-prune swoon, and plush pecan pie reminder pick up rich barleywine density. Cherry pie, chocolate liqueur, hazelnut, and black licorice illusions detail rum-soaked finish.
KUJAWIAK LAGER
Meek golden-cleared pilsner-styled Czech lager puts nondescript cereal grains in bland dry malt setting. Seltzer water frisk can’t overcome lame body and alcohol reminder gets annoyingly astringent.
KUHNHENN TANGERINE WIT
Dynamic well-balanced straw-hazed wheat beer offers refreshingly juicy apricot-tangerine depth for delightfully spicy lemon tartness. Soft hops sit on tongue as cracked wheat backbone settles in, picking up mild chamomile-coriander notes. Ripe citric tang lingers forever.
KUHNHENN SIMCOE SILLY ALE
Tremendously juicy sienna-hazed fruit ale brings ripe cherry-tangerine-peach-melon-strawberry abundance to white ale-like nutmeg-coriander spicing. Floral dusting and minor pumpkin hint found in maple malt midst.
KUHNHENN 9
Cloudy bronzed Belgian-style abbey ale burrows heavy malt lacquer through barleywine-like mouthfeel and loud prune-raisin suggestion. Cherry-banana-quince hex adds depth to biscuit-y bottom as thick alcohol resonation surges.
KUHNHENN HEATHER ALE
Complex Scottish ‘gruit’ (a.k.a. herbal Froach) integrates tobacco-leafed cigar ash aromatics with menthol mint freshness and orange-soured prune-raisin mildness, overshadowing floral heather-lilac nuances to grassy bottom. Honeyed wheat backbone picks up cork-dried perfumed hop insinuation.